Thousands Of Sandy-Damaged Cars Up For Auction On L.I.

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Thousands of cars damaged during Superstorm Sandy are being auctioned Tuesday on Long Island.

Around 15,000 vehicles have been parked at Calverton Airport in Riverhead.

Some residents are happy to see them go. They've been concerned they could cause environmental problems if they leak oil or gas into groundwater.

Last month, Smithtown Councilman Thomas McCarthy expressed concern about Sandy-damaged vehicles being resold. He said the vehicles, many of which have been corroded by saltwater, may wind up on out-of-state used car lots.

EXTRA: Click Here For Auction Details

"Saltwater is unforgiving," McCarthy said. "They'll spend thousands of dollars on a car thinking they're getting a decent deal and
all of a sudden they have to go chase someone down to try to get their money back. I think we need to stop the potential perpetration of fraud on a consumer in advance."

According to insurance industry estimates, around 230,000 vehicles in the region were damaged or destroyed by Sandy.

The auction began at 8 a.m. in Medford and will continue Friday and Saturday.

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